plumnovel Chapter 026 Public Trial
Chapter 026 Public Trial
Bao'an County has never been as bustling as it is today.
Not only did the city residents flock out, but people from the surrounding villages and towns also came in droves, young and old, like a tidal wave.
Today is the big day for the public trial of those corrupt officials Fan Zhengren, Zhang Xiuguo, and Shi Teng. More importantly, everyone is still looking forward to the four words that "She Tatian" mentioned in the proclamation: "Open the granaries and distribute grain."
The drought is getting worse every day, and this year's harvest is completely ruined.
Despite the heavens refusing to send rain, Fan Zhengren, still wielding the banner of the imperial court, forcibly levied taxes, increased levies, and imposed three additional duties, thoroughly draining the entire county. The people were utterly powerless to resist and could only scrape together their meager savings to pay. But once this year's taxes were paid, how would they survive the rest of the year?
The people of the county hated Fan Zhengren, that corrupt official, to the core. Behind his back, they cursed him to die a horrible death and be struck by lightning.
But you can't fight city hall.
What can ordinary people do when facing the government? This time, there were people who resisted the tax collection. But under the government's strong suppression, anyone who dared to say a word against it was thrown into jail.
Now that things have come to this, everyone can only grit their teeth and endure it. But deep down, who doesn't hope that this corrupt official who disregards the lives of ordinary people will eventually get his comeuppance?
As for rebellion?
Indeed, some people have thought about it, but who would actually dare to do it? Most people simply hope that the imperial court will send down a just and upright official to uphold justice for the people. But frankly speaking, this kind of thinking is just wishful thinking, a fantasy that ordinary people only dare to dream about.
But no one expected that someone would actually dare to do such a thing.
They truly rebelled against the government.
As Li Wanqing and Zhou Lun rose up in the county town, they captured officials such as Fan Zhengren in one fell swoop, took over the county government, county prison, police station, and warehouse, and completely controlled the entire county town, raising the banner of "acting on behalf of Heaven" to the outside world.
When the news spread, the people who heard it were overjoyed. Mentioning the name "Shooting Down the Sky," they couldn't help but give a thumbs up and sincerely praise: "A true hero!"
Li Wanqing and Zhou Lun did what the villagers wanted to do but dared not do.
After the uprising succeeded and the county town was captured, the people, who had been suffocating under the pressure of the government, suddenly became excited. The contents of the proclamation to reassure the people spread everywhere, especially the mention of public trials and the opening of granaries to distribute grain. How could the people in the vicinity sit still? They packed their things and rushed to the county town.
More and more people came, and the roads in all directions were bustling with activity.
Faced with the surging tide of villagers, Zhou Lun dared not be careless in the slightest.
Although this was within his expectations, a large number of people could easily lead to trouble. Moreover, three days had passed since the uprising began, and the prefectural government should have already received the news. Zhou Lun was unsure whether they had taken any action, and he couldn't guarantee that with so many people, no one would take the opportunity to cause trouble.
To ensure order, he led his men to maintain order throughout the area, while secretly preparing for any unforeseen events.
Fortunately, everything went relatively smoothly.
By noon, the platform in front of the county government office had been erected. When Li Wanqing, dressed in military uniform and looking very spirited, stepped onto the platform, cheers erupted from below. Everyone looked at this man who called himself "Shooting the Sky," and couldn't help but shout their approval, feeling sincere admiration for his righteous act.
The public trial was Zhou Lun's idea, and he also arranged the process in advance.
After taking the stage, Li Wanqing didn't say much. He simply waved his hand and had the people brought up.
Fan Zhengren, Zhang Xiuguo, and Shi Teng were tied up and pushed onto the stage.
Although he was still wearing his official robes, after being confined for the past two days, the clothes were wrinkled and tattered, completely unrecognizable. His official hat was nowhere to be found, and his hair was disheveled, making him look utterly wretched.
The three were led onto the stage and forced to kneel down, facing the dense crowd of people from all directions.
A deafening cheer crashed over them like a tidal wave, and the three of them turned ashen-faced, almost collapsing onto the stage.
Magistrate Fan Zhengren, in particular, was in a terrible state. He was trembling like a leaf, his teeth chattering loudly. His crotch was soaked, and a faint stench emanated from it.
Li Wanqing's gaze swept over the three of them, a slight smirk playing on his lips, tinged with mockery and disdain.
Is this what an official is like?
Without their official attire, without their usual pomp and circumstance, they are now less than ordinary people.
Li Wanqing withdrew his gaze, cleared his throat, and began to read aloud the charges against Fan Zhengren and others.
His voice was loud and clear, carrying far and wide, so that everyone present could hear him clearly. Every charge was absolutely true, without the slightest exaggeration, which made the people watching the trial feel deeply for him, and the more they listened, the more they gritted their teeth in anger.
As the charges were read aloud, the audience gradually became agitated.
Some of the bolder young men couldn't help but curse on the spot, their voices rising higher and higher. Others, their eyes reddening as they cursed, looked at the three corrupt officials on the stage with eyes that seemed to spit fire, wishing they could devour their flesh and sleep on their skin.
After reading out all the charges, Li Wanqing waved his hand and ordered his men to remove the cloth strips stuffed in the mouths of the three men.
"Do you plead guilty?"
Of the three, Magistrate Fan Zhengren was utterly terrified. His eyes were glazed over, his gaze unfocused, and he kept repeating the same phrase: "I...I am a scholar who passed the imperial examination twice...an official appointed by the court...I am utterly loyal to the court...I am innocent...innocent..."
The sound grew fainter and fainter, like a mosquito humming.
Shi Teng was slightly better than Fan Zhengren, but not by much. His face was covered in snot and tears as he sobbed, trying to explain himself, saying he was merely a clerk, acting under Fan Zhengren's orders, and that his intention was not to oppress the people, but that he had no choice. In the end, he repeatedly kowtowed, begging Li Wanqing to spare his life: "Just let me live, I'll do anything! Anything!"
In order to save his life, Shi Teng publicly exposed Fan Zhengren, telling him how he flattered his superiors, recklessly forced taxes, and embezzled public funds.
One by one, everything was revealed.
The crowd below grew increasingly enraged, shouting, "Corrupt official! He deserves to die!"
The calmest of the three was County Magistrate Zhang Xiuguo.
His face was deathly pale, but he remained silent.
Ever since his scheme in the county prison failed and he fell into Zhou Lun's hands, he had already anticipated this fate. In his view, it was simply a matter of the victor taking all and the loser being condemned. Falling into the hands of these rebels, there was no way he could save his life.
Moreover, these traitors deliberately staged this public trial today, clearly intending to use their heads as a sacrifice.
Zhang Xiuguo knew in his heart that even if he begged and pleaded, he would still die in the end. This time next year would be his death anniversary. Since he was going to die anyway, why bother saying anything more?
Just wait to get stabbed.
Isn't it better to be happy and satisfied than to kneel on the ground and beg for mercy?
Taking advantage of the crowd's agitation, Li Wanqing even had the head constable Dong Jincheng and several yamen runners brought up onto the stage.
These guys were terrified as soon as they stepped onto the stage. Before Li Wanqing could interrogate them, they hastily confessed to all their crimes in order to save their lives. And like dogs fighting each other, they not only publicly denounced the actions of Fan Zhengren, Zhang Xiuguo, and Shi Teng, but also desperately defended themselves, saying that they were only following orders and had no choice but to act, and that their crimes did not warrant death, begging for their lives.
At this stage of the public trial, the public's emotions have been thoroughly stirred up.
The crowd was excited, and the shouts grew louder and louder.
Zhou Lun stood below the stage, carefully observing the surrounding movements. Seeing that the time was right, he beckoned to one of the people he had arranged, whispered a few instructions, and at the same time gave Li Wanqing on the stage a meaningful look—it was time to take the final step.
Li Wanqing understood and nodded slightly.
He turned around, faced the dark mass of people below the stage, and loudly announced: Fan Zhengren and others have committed heinous crimes that are unforgivable, and are sentenced to immediate execution!
As soon as he finished speaking, the audience erupted in chaos.
Zhang Xiuguo had long anticipated this outcome. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes resignedly.
Shi Teng was so frightened that his eyes rolled back and he fainted on the spot, collapsing limply onto the stage.
As for Magistrate Fan Zhengren, he was completely dumbfounded. He kept repeating the same words over and over, but his body trembled even more violently, like a withered leaf in the autumn wind.
Although he was sentenced to immediate execution, Li Wanqing did not allow his men to carry out the execution.
He directly handed over this power to the people present.
"Let those with grudges settle their scores, let those with grievances settle theirs!" He waved his hand dismissively. "These three corrupt officials are now in the hands of the villagers!"
Upon hearing this, the audience immediately stirred.
They looked at each other, their expressions excited. But when it came to actually taking action, no one dared to take that step.
After all, killing an official is no joke.
Just then...
In the crowd, someone bent down, picked up a piece of gravel from the ground, swung his arm, and threw it hard at Fan Zhengren on the stage.
It's pretty accurate.
With a "smack," the gravel struck Fan Zhengren squarely on the head.
Fan Zhengren screamed as his forehead was smashed open, and blood streamed down his cheek.
Immediately afterwards, several more pebbles flew over, hitting not only Fan Zhengren, but also Zhang Xiuguo and Shi Teng who were standing nearby.
Once there was a first one, there was a second one.
Once there was a second one, there was a third, a fourth, a fifth...
The hot-blooded young men could no longer contain themselves. One by one, they bent down, picked up stones and dirt from the ground, and hurled them at the stage.
One...two...four...eight...
In the blink of an eye, dozens of people sprang into action. Then, this movement spread like wildfire; everyone bent down, picked up stones and clods of dirt, and hurled them at the stage.
In an instant, stones and soil flew everywhere, covering the sky and the earth.
Countless pebbles rained down like raindrops, creating a continuous crackling sound.
Li Wanqing and the others hurriedly stepped aside, leaving Fan Zhengren and the others kneeling on the platform.
Not only the three officials, but also Dong Jincheng and several constables and yamen runners who had been brought up earlier suffered the same fate. They were bound tightly and had no way to avoid it on the platform, so they could only endure it.
Screams rose and fell, mixed with wails and pleas for mercy.
But they faced a populace whose anger had already been ignited.
Who will let them get away with this?